Sunday, July 15, 2012

New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd was arrested early Sunday and charged with a misdemeanor of driving while intoxicated, according to Southampton Town police.

A police spokesman said Kidd was involved in a single-car accident in which his 2010 Cadillac Escalade struck a telephone pole and went into the woods in hamlet of Watermill at around 2 a.m. Water Mill is a serene, mainly residential community east of Southampton Village. Kidd, 39, suffered minor injuries, according to the spokesman, and was treated at Southampton Hospital.

He was then transferred to police headquarters to be processed. He was held for arraignment Sunday morning and was released on his own recognizance.

Police did not say whether Kidd had taken a breathalyzer test.

Kidd's agent didn't immediately respond to phone or email messages from The Associated Press. The Knicks, who signed the 10-time All-Star in free agency this week, had no immediate comment.

Kidd's next court date wasn't immediate available. The DWI charge carries the potential for up to a year in jail.

The Knicks signed Kidd away from the Dallas Mavericks this week in a deal that will pay him about $3 million a year. Kidd had played in New Jersey, leading the Nets to two NBA Finals appearances, before being traded to Dallas and remains fond of the New York City area, where his children continued to live.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist has been in trouble with the law before. While playing with Phoenix in 2001, he was arrested on a domestic violence charge, acknowledging that he struck his former wife.

Kidd is second on the NBA's career list in assists and steals. The Knicks believe Kidd, who helped the Mavericks win the 2011 NBA championship, would be a good mentor to point guard Jeremy Lin if the team opts to keep him.